Brush plating is a portable form of electroplating where in a wand covered with a cloth soaked in the plating solution (copper electrolyte) is moved along the substrate and a potential (6-12 Volts) is applied between the wand and the substrate that needs to be plated. As the wand with the electrolyte solution is moved along the substrate, metal ions (copper) from the plating solution is deposited on to the substrate.
In order to have a continuous coating on the substrate the cloth on the wand has to be completely soaked in the plating solution, which requires feeding the solution directly on to the wand. Brush plating is a labor intensive, cumbersome technique that has been used with very little modification ever since its first application. Brush plating process can benefit significantly from an improved process to reduce man hours. The conventional method of electroplating uses a liquid electrolyte with an anode and a cathode, wherein the metal ion from the electrolyte is deposited on to the cathode. In a portable brush plating process, the electrolyte solution and the metal to be plated will be used as a cathode and a potential will be applied between the cathode and brush plating wand (anode). In order to achieve a uniform metal deposition, the cloth covered brush plating wand must be frequently dipped into the electrolyte or the electrolyte needs to be recirculated via a pump to maintain the ionic conductivity for the plating process. One disadvantage of the prior art process is that the brush plating wand needs to be saturated with electrolyte throughout the entire plating process. The needs for saturation and dipping significantly affect the deposition rate and maneuverability and increases time and expense of the overall brush plating operation.
Needs exist for the improvement of brush plating methods and apparatuses.